Are You A Slave To Your Home?

July 13, 1997

1) Do you spend more than 20 percent of your free time cleaning or maintaining your house or apartment and yard? (When figuring the amount of time spent, exclude hobbies you enjoy, such as gardening or puttering.)

2) Do you get neverous when people come over? Do you worry that they're going to evaluate how the house looks instead of who you are?

3) Do you find yourself fantasizing about work that needs to be done around your home instead of the activity you're involved in?

4) Are you never satisfied with your home?

5) Does your spouse complain your expectations for his or her level of help with housework is too high?

6) Do people marvel at how nice your home is?

If you said `yes' to at least four of the questions, your home has become your master, according to Robert R. Butterworth, a licensed marriage, family and child therapist from California.

If you said `yes' to all six -- take a break, relax and forget the house for awhile.